Dedoose, a web-based, qualitative, and mixed methods data analysis software was used to code and analyze the interviews.
What you need to know:
Research Snapshot Principals’ work in contemporary times What is this research about? The work of school principals is changing. Using the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF) as a guide, this two-phase study proposed to provide insight into what principals do and the nature of their work. Phase one included interviews with principals, and phase two consisted of schoolsite observations of principals. This study is designed to examine how principals approach their work, spend their time, and the motivation and forces that influence their choices. This research is guided by both the concept of “work” and the Ontario Leadership Framework (OLF). For the purposes of this study, “work” refers to any tasks, activities or practices principals engage in as part of their job demands (Fineman, 2012). The OLF outlines five leadership domains and three categories of personal leadership resources that are associated with effective leadership and aims to guide professional learning and development. However, there is a limited understanding in the academic literature of what principals actually do on a daily basis. In responding to the changing nature of principals’ work, this research aimed to explore how principals approach their work, spend their time, and the contextual factors that have influenced their decisions and choices. It also discovered the challenges and possibilities associated with the work contemporary principals engage in on a daily basis.
Most principals indicate that they find their career rewarding and could not imagine doing anything else. However, principals’ work is very unpredictable in nature and is fraught with several challenges. These challenges include new job demands, such as an increased reliance on e-mail, expanded focus on occupational health and safety and managing student mental health concerns. observations. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 70 principals from seven district school boards across southwestern Ontario. Participants were asked directly about the five domains of the OLF, including setting directions, building relationships, creating collaborative cultures, leading the instructional program, and securing accountability with stakeholders. Six school-site observations were conducted with elementary and secondary principals at five district school boards in southwestern Ontario. The observations involved two researchers recording the work of a participating principal for three consecutive school days. One researcher documented the principals’ work using qualitative field notes. These notes included unique activities, the location and duration of the activities, as well as whether there were others engaged in an action or activity. The other researcher used an online survey application to collect quantitative data related to the various aspects of the OLF each principal engaged in during the observations. Categories and a coding key were developed based on the research questions and the domains and leadership practices outlined in the OLF. Additional categories were developed from themes emerged from the data. Dedoose, a web-based, qualitative, and mixed methods data analysis software was used to code and analyze the interviews.
What did the researchers do?
What did the researchers find?
The study included two research methods: semistructured interviews, and school-site
A total of 11 key findings emerged from the interview data:
1) Over 81% of principals stated that the principalship is a rewarding career. 2) 55% of principals’ views of student diversity go beyond the visible dimensions to include other forms of diversity. For example, they discussed how other forms of student diversity, such as socio-economic status, student mental health, as well as different learning styles or abilities that have led to changes in their work at the school site. 3) 37% of the sample identified a substantial increase in interactions with the provincial Ministry of Labour, and time spent managing occupational health and safety issues. 4) 58.5% of principals identified communicating and working remotely through e-mails and social networking as a challenge in that it makes them feel “on call” all the time. 5) 44% of principals indicated that their work can vary widely from one day to the next, making it very unpredictable in nature28.5% of principals emphasized that increased parental engagement has a positive impact on school community and climate. 6) Issues related to student mental health were suggested as the greatest challenge in principals’ work by nearly two-thirds of the participants. 7) The OLF was perceived as helpful by principals in planning professional learning and guiding their daily work. 8) Over 97% of participating principals indicated that they support collaboration by creating and sustaining a safe and accepting environment, 9) During the interviews, all participants mentioned that they improve the instructional program through observing instruction and offering advice to teachers. However, 64% of them suggested that they would like to engage in more instructional leadership within their school. 10) Over 40% of principals mentioned that internal accountability is secured through building instructional capacity at the school level, and external accountability is secured by demonstrating success in EQAO and other student performance measures.
Analysis of all data sources (interviews, qualitative and quantitative observations) revealed several key findings related to the OLF: • The OLF fails to acknowledge the great number of brief, fragmented activities that they are required to complete due to the competing priorities in their work. • Some principals indicated that the OLF is “too wordy”, and does not touch upon the managerial aspects that are part of their job description. • Optimism, resilience, managing emotions and the other personal leadership resources (e.g., Social, psychological, and cognitive) identified in the OLF are integral aspects of contemporary principals’ work. • The OLF was suggested as an important source in principals’ personal growth and development. However, most positive comments about the OLF were general and surface-level. In addition to these key findings, additional themes were uncovered in the interview and observation data •
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Principals perceived their work as fulfilling in the areas of: reasonable remuneration, opportunities in professional learning and development, and involvement in policy and programming by engaging in various committees. Principals engage in different practices based on their skills, knowledge, and contextual factors. Principals suggested that they want to spend more time in instructional leadership and professional learning.
How can you use this research? This research has shown that participating principals were mainly positive about their work and the OLF. Recommendations are drawn based on key findings and recurring themes. The recommendations include several areas where contemporary principals may benefit from dedicated professional learning, such as the effective use of e-mail in the workplace, managing student mental health concerns and equity and inclusive education.
References:
About the Authors:
Fineman, S. (2012). Work: A short introduction. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Katina Pollock, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, Western University. Cameron Hauseman, Ph.D. Candidate, OISE, University of Toronto.
Original Research Article: For a complete description of the research and findings, please see the full research report: Principals’ Work in Contemporary Times (20112014) Funded by: The Leadership Development and School Board Governance Branch, Ontario Ministry of Education & The Western Academic Development Fund Full report available here
Additional Article References: Briscoe, P. & Pollock, K. (Spring, 2017). Principals’ perceptions of difference and diversity in their student populations. CAP Journal, 10 - 14. Pollock, K., & Hauseman, D.C. (2016). Observational research on the work of school principals: To time or not to time. Methods and Paradigms in Education Research (pp. 88-107). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.
Keywords: Leadership; Principal; Ontario Leadership Framework About this Summary: This summary was written by Wei Wei, Ph.D. Candidate at Western University. For further information about Dr. Pollock’s research, visit http://www.edu.uwo.ca/facultyprofiles/katina-pollock.html
